Looking at getting a new or used Quad for racing. For my money would an Alba Machine be the best use of my money?

I plan on using the Machine for Cross Country Racing. Undecided on what gua dto get Probally in the 400+ cc range.

Any thought's would be helpful.

 

One of my friends was going to get an Alba Banshee. He called and was excited about getting pipes and stuff on it for the same price as stock. He then found out that they do a prepping charge and other stuff. After shipping costs to Indiana, he would have ended up paying almost $8000 for a new Banshee with pipes. He ended up buying a new one locally for $5000. Then put $3000 into it, now it is a bad beast.

 

In one word, no.

First off, alba charges msrp. Almost every quad out there can be had for hundreds of dollars less than msrp. If you are talking about a 6k dollar quad, expect to save around 500 bucks or more of msrp, even with tax most of the time. Alba adds their pipe, a filter, and some graphics along with some little bolt ons. They also charge you a significant amount for shipping. I cant remember exactly how much, but I thought I was told somewhere around 150-250. Add tax on to all of that, and you've payed a lot more than advertised. You also end up with thier pipe. Usually, the pipe is a piece of junk that makes so much noise you wont be able to stand it on a trail ride. If you buy separately, you can choose your own aftermarket parts, and usually get what you want for about the same price, sometimes cheaper.

That said, there is nothing wrong with these bikes. If you want a turn key quad, they will do it for you. They are dependable and faster than stock. There are a lot of things to measure here, so good luck with your choice.